Events

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich.—Time is running out to join Feeding America West Michigan for “Many Hands Against Hunger.”

Hunger hero Owen Ronning will share his inspirational story during the benefit. Last summer, the 8-year-old boy went without the traditional birthday gifts, asking for a mobile food pantry instead. With his parent’s encouragement, Owen went door-to-door, asking for money to make the pantry happen. In June, his act of kindness came to fruition, as he and his friends distributed 5,000 pounds of fresh produce, milk and baked goods to 115 families in need.

The luncheon to support hunger relief is Thursday, June 10 at the Goei Center, 818 Butterworth SW in Grand Rapids. Those interested in attending must RSVP by 12 p.m. on Friday, June 6. Registration is available online. Admission is $25.

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich.—Enjoy the green while raising some green for school programs during the Hacking for Education Golf Outing, organized by the Comstock Park Educational Foundation.

The registration deadline for this event is June 1. For a $70 entry fee, golfers get 18 holes of golf, a cart, lunch, dinner and entry into shot contests. Registration and lunch is at noon, with a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m. For a registration form, click here.

Proceeds from Hacking for Education Golf Outing will support the Comstock Park Educational Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization that supports educational programs throughout the district.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—From toxin-free to maintenance free, dozens of West Michigan homes will be open to the public this Memorial Day Weekend as part of the Spring Parade of Homes.

Even more houses and condominiums will be on display this year- 78 homes from West Olive to Ada. The homes will be on display through June 7. They range in price from $100,000 to more than $1 million. This year’s listings include homes in Ada, Alpine Township, Allendale, Alto, Belmont, Byron Center, Caledonia, Cascade, Coopersville, East Grand Rapids, Grand Haven, Grand Rapids, Grandville, Holland, Hudsonville, Jenison, Kentwood, Lowell, Plainfield, Rockford, Walker, West Olive and Wyoming. For a complete list of homes, click here.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.—Visitors to seven area Culver’s restaurants today can join the effort to bring veterans to their war memorials in our nation’s capitol.

Participating Culver's restaurants will donate 10 percent of sales on Tuesday, May 20 to the Honor Flight Network, a nonprofit group that transports veterans to the national monuments.

“We’re happy for the opportunity to support the Honor Flight network and we hope our guests will too,” says Craig Culver, co-founder of the restaurant chain. “Men and women who put their lives on the line to protect our freedom are true heroes,” added Culver.

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich.—Organizers of the 2014 Stamp Out Hunger food drive say while donation numbers are down this year, the results are better than they first thought.

Andrew Steiner with Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank says the Northwest, East Paris and Northeast communities dominated in this year's drive. The final donation numbers from the May 10 event are:

ALPINE TOWNSHIP, Mich.— The Alpine Township Planning Commission will hold a public hearing Thursday, May 15 over a company’s debated move from Sparta to Fruit Ridge Avenue.

Crop Production Services is asking for site plan approval to move its business onto five acres at 6201 Fruit Ridge Avenue. The company wants a special use permit to use the site to manufacture its fertilizers and crop protection products. The plans include building an office, chemical storage facility and dry storage building as well as containment areas.

At least one community member is opposing the move, saying the proposed plans would put huge chemical tanks in the middle of apple orchards and vegetable fields, and the influx of semi trucks will only add to the hazards on a busy country road that already experiences a lot of crashes.

COMSTOCK PARK, Mich.— Organizers of the 2014 Stamp Out Hunger food drive believe the lack of a regional sponsor hurt the outcome of this year's drive.

Andrew Steiner with Feeding America West Michigan Food Bank says letter carriers collected an estimated 70,000 pounds of food in the Grand Rapids area May 10. That's less than half of what they collected the year prior, when a sponsor distributed paper bags printed with the Stamp Out Hunger information ahead of the drive. Traditionally, residents will fill those bags with non-perishable food items and place it by their mailbox the morning of the drive. Steiner says other communities also saw a decline in donations.

Steiner says this year's donations will provide nearly 55,000 meals for people living in West Michigan and the Upper Peninsula. He also says the weather cooperated during the drive; volunteers didn't lose a single food item to rain damage.